True to Time
by Sun Goddess Ri
Summary: Kenshin's life before the revolution is very vague, even maybe to Kenshin himself. This story may tie some questionable ends of his life as Shinta.


**A/N: Alright! This is my first time posting here, although this is not my first fic~ I had a little hard time describing the fight, this is my first action scene EVER. I **_**love**_** criticism, good or bad, so feel free to review. This is the prolougue, so please don't be disappointed when you don't see any kenshin just yet! **

"Looks like I won't have to look for you any longer." A boorish man stood tall behind a slim figure.

The figure stopped in its tracks. It was a young woman, she wore a dark kimono, and a rice hat strung fitly under her chin, "Oh? I didn't realize I was missing." She hid a smile under her hat, her eyelids dropped as she turned her head slightly towards the man behind her.

The man clenched his fists, one gripping the hilt of a sword strapped to his hip. His callused hands trembled in anger towards the woman who mocked him. "You think that was witty? Do you know who I am?"

"Hn, I don't know who you are, but to be honest, I don't care. This is my first time in Tokyo," the woman turned straight ahead as her, "and I have no place to stay. So I need to hurry, I don't want to stay out past nightfall."

The woman continued walking. Filled with rage, the swordsman withdrew his sword. "My name is Daichi Matsumoto!"

The woman, once again stopped. This time, she removed her hat, and bowed her head, "Daichi."

Daichi gripped his sword tightly as he swallowed. Beads of sweat formed at his temples. "Seven years ago, you killed my brother," he squeezed his eyes shut as he whispered, "all he ever tried to do was protect his family. My mother, and myself—we both watched you from those torn screen doors. You beheaded my brother as he bowed at your feet, _begging, BEGGING, _for you to spare our lives."

Daichi let out a sob, "and you killed him." The man raised his voice, "Y-y-ou killed him anyway!" Daichi chocked up and continued, "For years, that scene has replayed in my nightmares. You're face…"

Daichi brought up his left palm and pressed it against his forehead, "…your face has been carved into the back of my skull. The face of the devil itself." Daichi gasped for a breath, "Your eyes, the look in your eyes, the merciless eyes that murdered my elder brother are engraved into my deepest memories. I can never erase those eyes from my thoughts and nightmares."

Daichi shook his head as if it would wipe the vivid memory away and brought his hand back down to the hilt of his sword, "Since that day, I vowed on my brother's corpse that I would avenge his death, even if I would have hunt you down until the day I die."

The woman clenched her teeth. "Mr. Matsumoto," the woman spoke softly in a sympathetic voice, "your brother begged me as his dying wish to spare your lives. That is correct." She paused, "But my intentions that day was not to take his life—"

Daichi held his sword even tighter, he swallowed, and sobbed again, as he interrupted her, "Shut up you dammed wench! I saw you kill my brother that day without a second thought, don't try to hide away from the truth!"

The woman turned around and brought her head up, looking straight into the eyes of the man who had stood behind her. She stood there for several moments, not moving, not speaking a word, she did nothing, but stare into his eyes.

For the first time since that unfaithful day 7 years ago, Daichi saw into the eyes of the very woman who killed his brother. Daichi relaxed his arms, he didn't expect t see the woman's eyes appear so kind, so tired, and so sad. Her eyes, a deep shade of blue, had no spark to them, they appeared dull, and lifeless. Dark circles showed under her lashes and against her pale skin, as she had spent days struggling with restless sleep. Her dark hair flew along with a soft breeze. She tucked a loose strand behind her ear as she realized that Daichi had been taken aback by her exhausted appearance.

The woman looked away from Daichi, she looked down at the floor, with a smile in her voice, and she spoke, "I guess, no one could really believe in assassin. After all, an assassin is nothing more but a cold-blooded killer. A killer with no regrets, no mercy, and no sympathy. A killer that lives and enjoys to see the blood of its prey. An assassin only takes the shape of a human, but it's not a human at all, no, it's a demon that walks amongst the people of this world.

"Or at least, that's what I've been told, ever since the revolution." The woman eyed Daichi's sword.

Daichi stood still holding his sword out, refusing to respond, his eyes, burning with flaming hatred.

The woman frowned, "So all you're after is revenge over your brother's death. You do not seek an explanation."

Daichi spit at her direction, barely missing her leg, "Draw your sword woman."

"Alright," the woman slowly uncloaked a strange sheath that had been strapped behind her, along the waist, she held the unsheathed sword in her right hand and the hilt on her left. "You know, I've wondered Japan for 15 years, looking for someone myself. I've come across many revolutionists, radicals, and even towns people who've faced me claiming revenge for their fallen comrades, friends, and family members. Many have died, or have been seriously injured, some backed out before they had a chance to fight." The woman unsheathed her sword, the light danced on the blade delicately, as a second blade made its appearance right next to it, and the light danced on that one just as well.

Daichi gasped at sight of the instrument. It was no ordinary sword. He watched as the woman threw the sheath aside, rendering it useless.

The double bladed sword hung from the woman's left index finger, still unassembled in its compacted state. "Not one of those men succeeded in killing me." In one swift movement of her left hand, the sword expended. A blade in each end of the hilt.

"Daichi, I do not wish to fight you. If you will allow me to, I wish to put away my sword and go into town to find a place to spend the night."

Daichi felt the heat in his head, he had become furious. This woman, spoke of the death of several other people as if it were a game. Does she have no heart? No remorse? Daichi felt cold tears against his hot cheeks. He could not take it anymore. He had to kill her now.

Daichi gripped his sword tightly, "You won't be going anywhere else tonight. You die, here, today."

The woman closed her tired eyes. '_I hope so,' _she thought.

Both swordsmen had come to the realization that they were not alone, many of the town's people of the outskirts of Tokyo have stepped out of their home to investigate the stir going on outside.

A broad-shouldered man, slightly shorter than Daichi step forward and spoke, "So this is the woman who killed your elder brother, eh? She's nothing but a run-down old twig." The man laughed, at her appearance, "You mustn't worry about Daichi, he's an excellent swordsman, and he's not alone…"

Three other men besides Daichi and the broad-shouldered man stepped up as well.

The woman stood motionless not even looking over to the man who had spoken, she kept her eyes fixed on Daichi. Her eyes appeared almost apologetic.

Daichi looked over his shoulder now speaking to the men who stepped up, "This fight is mine. Let me take her down, I don't want anyone getting involved if I can take her on my own Jiro."

Jiro crossed his arms over his chest, "Fine by me, doesn't look like she'll put up much of a fight anyway."

One of the men that stood by Jiro spoke, "Jiro, you really need to stop being so over confident. You can't really judge a person's skill by their appearance." The man who spoke seemed to be the oldest of the five swordsmen, "You of all people should know better than that. Although you are the largest out of all of us, you are the least skilled out of the bunch."

Jiro frowned, not acknowledging weather the man was right or wrong.

"Daichi," the woman spoke softly still not taking her gaze away from her prime opponent, "I do not think it's wise to fight here amongst the town's people. We should move our fight elsewhere where it may be safe."

A low growl escaped from Daichi's throat, "I'm not giving you the satisfaction of living another moment longer. You will die here, so my family can see before their very eyes that the life of the murderous bitch that killed my brother has come to a tragic close. I will slice your head off and take it to my brother's grave so he can see that his murderer is now as dead as he is. You will burn in hell."

In that instant Daichi lurched himself towards the woman and swung his sword aiming for her neck. The woman leapt backward dodging his sword. Daichi swung at the woman again, aiming the opposite side of her neck, and once again, the woman dodged his attack in the same manner. The action repeated several times before the woman grew tired of dodging the man.

The woman stood her ground this time bringing one of her sword's ends by her neck, blocking the man's sword. Before the man can pull back and strike again, the woman flung her left arm down slicing through Daichi's right leg with the opposite end of her rare sword.

Daichi retreated a few steps as he fell to one knee as he inspected the damage made by the woman's double bladed sword.

Jiro did not hesitate to draw his sword as his partner had fallen, in fear that the woman would strike the injured swordsman. The woman spun her double bladed sword in her left hand as Jiro charged at her with full speed.

Jiro had not seen it coming, before he could even lift his arm to strike, the woman had cut straight across his chest. Jiro dropped his sword and landed face down on the ground, dead.

Daichi had not even noticed that Jiro made any attempt to attack before he had hit the ground. "Jiro!" Jiro's body was sprawled at the woman's feet. Daichi's eyes turned toward the woman's direction, but her gaze did not meet his own, for this time, she was looking down at Jiro's dead body.

Before Daichi could get on his feet, the two men who stayed behind with the older swordsman drew their swords and charged at the woman at full speed. The woman, still looking at the ground, raised only her left arm, and with a quick movement of her hand, she bent the sword in the shape of a boomerang, and hurled her double bladed sword in their direction. Both men suddenly stopped in their tracks, only to fall face first in a pool of their own blood.

Daichi now stood ignoring the injury in his leg. His eyes were shadowed, and his fists were clenched, one still held his sword.

The woman caught her double bladed sword over her head, as it made its way back to its owner.

Tears poured from Daichi's face, "You murderous bitch."

The old man walked towards the woman, hands to his sides, not drawing his sword. "Daichi, pull yourself together, this is not the time for you to be mourning the death of your comrades."

Daichi nodded, "You're right, I won't allow for my comrades to have died in vain. I will make sure that she dies tonight."

The old man raised an eyebrow, "Woman, your fight is now with me."

The woman stood still barely moving since her first kill. She looked up at the man slowly. Her lifeless eyes had grown duller than before. Daichi noticed the change in her eyes, it sent chills up his spine.

"I do not wish for another to die tonight," the woman spoke with a soft voice.

The old man drew his sword slowly, "Well, that's too bad. The next one going down is you my dear."

There was a flash, the woman's eyes widened by a fraction. She did not see the old man move, but he was no longer where he had once stood. Instinctively, the woman looked up, the old man was trying to attack her from above. She brought her sword up to block his attack.

The old man pulled away using the force the contact of their swords had made. He stuck his landing and put away his sword. "Looks like, I'm no challenge for you either," the old man spoke as if he admitted defeat.

Confused, the woman spoke, "So you will withdraw?"

"Not Quite."

There was a flash again, this time the old man sprung above the woman quickly, and stuck his landing behind her. The man did not give the woman anytime to turn and face him as he charged at her from behind without bothering to draw his sword.

The woman had her attention on the old man, able to follow every single move he had made. He tried to attack her from behind. The woman easily stopped him as she pulled her sword over and behind her, and plunged her double bladed sword straight into the old man heart. He dropped dead.

The woman dropped to a knee. She pressed her hand against her abdomen. Confused, she looked down to see that her hand was already covered and dripping in blood. She pressed her hand against her stomach, she had been injured.

The woman looked around to see who had attacked her while she was defending herself from the old man. She did not need to look for long, for Daichi walked towards her; his sword in his hand, covered in blood.

"I had hoped," Daichi knelt down placing the blade of his sword against the woman neck, "that things wouldn't have come down to this." There was anger in his voice. "The old man knew what you were capable of, but he hoped that the years of fighting would have worn you down."

The woman looked a Daichi straight in the eyes, as he began to let his sword cut into her neck. Blood began to drip slowly along the blade.

"Don't you see? The old man allowed you to see his every move. His real purpose was only to distract you long enough so I could get you on your knees."

The woman's eyes widened in surprise, her voice shook as she spoke, "You mean to tell me that you played with the old man's life only to feed on your taste for revenge?"

Daichi frowned, "No."

"I don't understa—"

"This wasn't my plan to begin with. The old man was wise beyond his years, he always had a plan to back up his first, and a plan to back up the second."

The woman winced as Daichi's sword cut deeper into her neck. If she did not act soon he'll surely cut through her neck completely. She began to feel around the ground for her sword.

Daichi continued not realizing what the woman was trying to do, "The old man was the most skilled amongst us all, but he was not cocky. He knew when to back down. That is why he did not try to finish you off himself."

"So he decided to make himself a sacrifice? How is that any better than trying to fight back?"

Daichi paused before he answered, "The man was a revolutionist, a swordsman at heart. He was ill, the last thing he wanted was to lose his battle to live in such a manner. He wanted to die by the sword."

Daichi looked straight into the eyes of the woman who killed his brother, "But his sacrifice will not be in vain, for I shall avenge my brother and my fallen comrades.

"I will avenge them by slicing off your head!"

The woman stopped his sword with her hand. Daichi pulled away as he tried to swing his sword at the woman's neck. The woman easily dodged it, ignoring the pain in her abdomen she drew a dagger from her sleeve plunging it into Daichi's jugular.

Daichi dropped his sword as he removed the dagger from his neck quickly, and attempting to stop the flow of blood.

The woman pulled her hair out of her face as she watched Daichi struggle to breathe. She must have hit his windpipe.

The woman spoke as she turned away to retrieve her sword, "As I'm sure you may not recall, your family was well known. One of the wealthiest in the country I may add."

Daichi fell to his knees panting and wheezing as the woman spoke.

"Your father had been a spy for the imperialist army at the time, you may not know that either. He had done his job well. Thanks to him, the Imperialists won many battles, and taken down a great portion of their enemies. Before you were even born your father had been murdered. He was captured by the enemy. He was tortured and burned alive.

"Your family's fortune went downhill ever since." The woman wiped away the blood of her sword and sheathed it.

She turned back to look at Daichi. He was collapsed on the ground, breathing heavily adding pressure to his wounded neck.

"Daichi!"

"Father! FATHER!"

The woman looked up as she saw a boy, running alongside a young woman who were headed in their direction.

"FATHER!"

Daichi's body twitched in response to his son's cries. The young woman took Daichi's body in her arms, crying.

The woman continued speaking as if Daichi's wife and son weren't even there, "Your brother took it upon his own hands to take the place of his father as a spy for the Imperialists.

"Your brother was eventually caught double-crossing his own. Giving away information to a foreign country for money.

"I was sent to capture your brother, and turn him in." The woman pressed her hand against her stomach wincing in pain. She continued, "When I found him in your home that night you seem to recall, he knew that I was there to take him to my officials. He bowed at my feet crying, he feared his fate. He knew too well that they would torture him for information. He begged me not to spare his life, but to end it, and to make sure you and your mother were safe."

At that moment Daishi's wife was quietly sniffling, his son as well. They both listened intently as the woman spoke.

"Your brother, could not live. The information that he carried was vital, and in the wrong hands, it could have caused a war between countries. Many would have lost their lives. He gave me no other choice, I did not wish to kill him, but I made sure to fulfill his dying wish." The woman paused, "Please forgive me."

Daichi's son shook in anger as he saw his father dying before his very eyes. He was maybe only 13 years old, still a child.

Daichi's child stood, his father's sword in his hand. The woman realized the boy's intentions.

"Don't be foolish. If your father did could not kill me, what makes you think you can?"

" You've lost a lot of blood. I know that you can barely stand. You don't have the stamina to stay conscious too much longer."

The woman walked towards the child, "What is your name boy?"

The boy held up the sword ready to strike, "Jin."

The woman kicked the sword out of the boy's hands. "Jin, I do not blame you for being angry, but you cannot fight a battle you cannot win."

The woman began to walk away, "Jin, you may make your vows of revenge if you like. You should train and become a strong, skillful swordsman and one day, you may come after my life. But I ask of you that when the day comes, that you succeed in ending my life. I've grown tired of this pointless fighting."

The woman paused, "You should know the name of the woman who killed your father. It's Ri, maybe it will make it easier for you to find me."

Confused, Jin watched Ri walk away, and into the city of Tokyo.


End file.
